arrest 1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈrest How to pronounce arrest (audio)
Definition of arrestnext
1
as in to seize
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law the inept robber was promptly arrested by the off-duty policeman he had tried to hold up

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2
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill cryogenics is based on the idea that extreme cold can almost arrest molecular motion

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3
as in to fascinate
to hold the attention of as if by a spell the sight of the daredevil walking a tightrope between high-rises arrested area pedestrians and motorists alike

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arrest

2 of 2

noun

1
as in arrestment
the act of taking into one's control by authority of law there have been only two arrests for driving while intoxicated in the county in the last six months

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2
as in cessation
the stopping of a process or activity "hemostasis" is the technical term for arrest of bleeding

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arrest
Verb
He had been employed by Ramaswamy through a third-party vendor and was arrested in December 2025, months after Ramaswamy’s campaign launched. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2026 After a high-profile, multi-day manhunt, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pa. — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
Both were released from the jail within a day of their arrest. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2026 The charges stem from a 2024 video Boebert allegedly recorded with a 17-year-old girl, according to an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant, which was obtained by NBC. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for arrest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrest
  1. seize
  2. stop
  3. fascinate
  4. raid
  5. cessation
  6. apprehend
  7. halt
  8. enchant
Verb
  • Messi had a shot saved at the beginning of the second half, but Palacios then sparked a move from one side of the pitch to the other as Nashville restored its lead in the 49th minute and seized control of the game.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Biggs, 67, has seized on the refusal, repeatedly challenging Hobbs to debate and making her absence itself part of his campaign message.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of seize
Verb
  • The aid workers who once regularly visited her village to help pregnant women had stopped coming, after foreign aid cuts by the United States shuttered a program aimed at saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • The 31-year-old rapper, a member of the megagroup NCT and the leader of its subgroup NCT 127, has seemingly always been fascinated by merging different genres to create a new song.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Questions around beauty and longing recur, as do keywords (such as ‘password’), names, references and scenic features, but what fascinated me most is that in principle each episode could be read as a little patchy universe on its own.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascinate
Noun
  • De Lutiis scored himself in the 58th, backing up in support at the perfect time after an Australian attacking raid that started with flyhalf Carter Gordon breaking the defensive line and running 30 meters toward the right corner flag.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • State lawmakers are considering a bill that would require large retailers to preserve documentation of immigration enforcement activity on their premises, following ICE raids at Home Depot parking lots in Southern California last summer.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of raid
Noun
  • Those commitments should be included in a framework agreement, signed by all sides, which outlines the core elements of an eventual peace and enables a cessation of hostilities.
    — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Texas law defines brain death as the irreversible cessation of brain function.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cessation
Verb
  • One subject was apprehended after traveling down from Canada on a Jet Ski, Peck told CBS News.
    — Laura Geller, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • He was apprehended days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a McDonald’s employee called the police.
    — Adam Reiss, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of apprehend
Verb
  • Monday’s win showed signs of another upward swing to halt what’s been an ugly skid.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Republican Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland applauded Commissioner Scott’s decision to halt construction.
    — Laura Romero, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • At first spritz, you’re instantly enchanted and uplifted by sparkling, tart notes of pomelo and yuzu.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Wilpattu, Sinharaja, and Yala, Sri Lanka Drawn to Sri Lanka for the leopard and sloth bear spotting opportunities found within Wilpattu and Yala National Parks, travelers are often more enchanted with the teardrop island’s birdlife upon arrival.
    — Lydia Swinscoe, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of enchant

Browse Nearby Words

arrears
arrest
arrested
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Cite this Entry

“Arrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrest. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on arrest

Nglish: Translation of arrest for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arrest

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